Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

Klaus couldn't understand whether Maethe had been too innocent or too self-centered to have fallen into such a simple trap at the very beginning of the exercise

As soon as she managed to touch the flag in the center of the clearing, Nathan's voice cut through the silence.

"You fell right into our trap, didn't you?" Nathan said, and then Maethe heard the rustling of the bushes nearby.

Maethe turned around and before she could think about running, a sword lightly touched her shoulder.

"You're out." said a black boy with frizzy hair.

The girl from the athletics department took a deep breath, disappointed in herself. "I can't believe I was so foolish."

Nathan came out of the other bushes as well, put a hand on Maethe's shoulder and said:

"You weren't that bad, it's just bad luck that I'm the mastermind of my team. Now, tell me, you're on Klaus's team, aren't you? Tell me where he is and I promise not to steal your flag."

Maethe took Nathan's hand away from her and looked at him with disgust. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? I'm not going to finger my comrades like that, I know that elimination only obliges me to stay in a neutral area for fifteen minutes."

Then she turned her back on the two boys and started walking.

"Besides, if I were you, I'd be more worried about your flag being so badly positioned."

Klaus watched silently from the dense foliage as Nathan and his colleague talked to Maethe. The air was charged with tension and the expectation of an imminent confrontation. He held his bow tightly, ready to act at the right moment.

While Nathan was making his provocations and Maethe was leaving, two arrows cut through the air and hit Nathan and his colleague almost simultaneously in the back. A cry of surprise and pain echoed through the clearing as the two turned to see who had attacked them.

Klaus emerged from the bushes with a cunning smile on his face, holding his bow confidently. He looked directly at Nathan and asked calmly, but with a hint of defiance in his voice: "Were you looking for me, Nathan?"

Nathan, still recovering from the shock, glared angrily at Klaus. "You... You set this up, didn't you?" His voice was full of indignation and incredulity. "I underestimated you, I thought you'd never sacrifice a companion like that."

Klaus shook his head slightly. "No, my dear Nathan. That was only the result of your underestimating the others." He approached slowly, keeping his bow ready. "Now, if you'll allow me, I think it's time for you to retire and let me pay your flag in peace. Please accompany Maethe."

Nathan gritted his teeth, but realized he was outnumbered. He and his colleague retreated, casting angry glances at Klaus before disappearing into the forest.

Maethe, who was still nearby, watching all this from afar, approached Klaus with an admiring look. "That was amazing, Klaus!"

Klaus smiled and lowered his bow. "It was nothing, I just took advantage of the situation. Now, I'll get this here..." Klaus took the flag from the ground and the circle around it turned red. "And wait for you to come back while I protect our flag with Lucas. We'll wait for you."

Maethe nodded. "I promise not to disappoint next time. I'll be back in fifteen minutes."

Then Klaus ran back to where his flag was, because the game was still a long way from over.

With the flag firmly in his hands, Klaus felt a mixture of relief and excitement for the rest of the exercise. He knew that the battle wasn't over yet and that he would have to remain vigilant to protect his flag until Maethe returned. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Lucas, who was standing by the blue flag, his determined expression reflecting the same determination as Klaus.

"Let's keep our guard up, Lucas," Klaus said in a whisper, his gaze scanning his surroundings for any sign of intruders. The forest was silent now, but Klaus knew that could change at any moment. He positioned himself strategically, keeping behind a sturdy tree that offered good cover.

Lucas nodded, holding his sword steady as he surveyed his surroundings. The tension in the air was palpable, and both young men were completely immersed in the moment, focused on defending their flag at all costs.

Meanwhile, Maethe used the minutes of her elimination to reflect on her strategy. She recognized her mistakes and was determined not to repeat them. With steady steps, she returned to the battlefield after fifteen minutes, her determination shining in her eyes.

As she approached the area where her flag lay, Maethe spotted Klaus and Lucas ready to defend it. She smiled, feeling grateful to have such reliable allies. With a nod to Klaus, indicating that she was back and ready to resume the fight, Maethe strategically positioned herself next to them.

At the same time, Nathan and his colleague, still feeling the impact of Klaus' counterattack, met with their team to discuss a new approach. Nathan was determined to recover the lost flag and show that his team was still in the game.

The forest echoed with the sound of rapid footsteps and snapping branches as the teams moved strategically, looking for opportunities to attack and defend. Klaus, Maethe and Lucas maintained a solid defensive posture, watching every movement around them. For the moment, it seemed that they were the only ones with the advantage of a flag.

However, suddenly a scream echoed through the forest. Klaus and Maethe, as the attacking duo, moved quickly to see what was happening. They soon spotted two boys from the Athletics Department running through the forest.

One was holding a flag, running as fast as he could, but the person behind him was Edward, and although they were running through trees with roots in the ground that got in the way, they were running very fast.

"He's fast," said Klaus.

"More than anyone." Maethe said, looking admiringly at Edward, and then shook her head, as if scaring away indecent thoughts. "And very dangerous too, of course. His team is in this region, we need to go the other way."

Maethe stood up and was about to turn around.

"Wait." Klaus grabbed her arm and stopped her. "He's running and he's busy, it's a chance for us to get either his flag or that of the team he's competing against."

"Didn't you hear me say that he's very dangerous? Lucas isn't with us, and his only advantage against a runner is a sword. There's no way you can fight Edward empty-handed."

"And who says we are empty-handed?" Klaus took an arrow from his quiver.

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